San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-09-30
HOW WASHINGTON DIED.
Medical Men Assert that He Was
Bled and Blistered to Death.

| Medical Men Assert that He Was
Bled and Bllstered to Death.
Washington dispatch to n. Y. World
Thirty members OF the late medical
congress met In social way after the
regular business OF the day, In the parlOr
| OF guest at one OF the hotels. These
delegates were elderly medical men OF
the sO-called old school OF doctors,
but presenting progressive minds
| OF the allOpathic branch Of the medi-
| cal profession; some OF them had been
professors IN medical colleges many
years ago. These old friends in con-
yersRtiOnal way compared notes relative
to the radical changes which have taken
place in the methods Oftreatment OF dis
eases, the large and frequent doses OF
cslomel and other powerful remedies ad-
ministered to their patients In the prac-
tice of forty and fifty years ago, COM
pared with the almost infnitesimal
doses now prescribed, and the now total
abandonment Of some remedies and
modes OF treatment which were in gen.
eral practice then.
The Old-time doctor and even the ply
sicisn OF but recent date formerly carried
in his coat pocket a formidable lance,
the sight of which frightened his ner-
vous patient. With that instrument he
proceeded by way OF preliminary pre-
paration for 'course OF medi-
cine" to open large vein In
the sick persons arm and there
from draw from pint to quart OF
blood. Then followed the inevitable
prescription of fifteen to twenty grains
OF calomel, accompanied by a bottle OF
castor Oil, and the patient would be
"laid up" thereafter for some days en-
In
medical treatment. Now phlebOtomy
or blood-letting has been almost wholly
abandoned. Calomel when prescribed
at all is given in bslf-grain doses at in
tervals OF three or four hours, and go on
to the end of the list of old popular
remedies.
One of the physicians present, pursu-
ing this theme, astonished his hearers
by asserting that the Father Of His
Country" General George Washington,
did not die natural death, but was
killed by his doctors. Here several
voices simultaneously exclaimed:
That's a libel! Where is your evil
dence ?" Thereupon the supposed libel
er produced from Georgetown, ID. c.,
newspaper, printed in 1893, and an ac-
count Of the illness, death and burial of
General Washington. together with the
certificate of the physicians, Drs. Craik
and Dick, who treated the illustriOus
patient In his last illness. The certiti-
Gates OF these physicians, who resided
about fifteen miles from Georgetown,
showed that General Washington, hav-
ing been exposed to rain on Friday, De-
oember l3, In the night of that day was
attacked with chills, accompanied with
pain in the upper and fore part OF the
throat, coughing, difficult rather than
painful swallowing, succeeded by fever
and quick and labOrious respiration.
General Washington" says the &C.
count, regarding the attack as only
severe cold, would not send for physi-
cIan, but called in one OF his servants, q
bleeder, so called, who took from the
sick mans arm nearly 8 pint of blood,
which was gOodly portion OF the Wig
orous, healthy life OF the patient. The
patient was about in that condition
until the arrival of his physicians at 10
O'Clock the next morning Saturday,
when the doctors proceeded to repeat
the bleeder's operation, and twice
within about four hours took other two
pints or quarts of blood. In the interim
we're employed two copiOus bleedings. a
blister was applied to the part affected,
two moderate doses OF calomel were
given, succeeded by repeated doses of
tartar emttic, amounting to five or six
grains, with no other effect than cOpi-
GUS discharge from ,the bowels"
This was treatment of the heroic
kind" interjeCted the alleged libeler,
(which was enough to kill any ordinary
well man, and it was evidently doing
the business for the general. The learned
doctors add:
"'The powers of life seemed now
mSni'esty yielding to the force of the
disorder. Blisters were applied to the
eXtremities, together with q ca aplasm
OF bran and vinegar to the throat.
Speaking, which was painful from the
beginning, now became almost lmpracti-
cable. Respiration grew more and
more contracted and imperfect until ll:30
O'Clock on Saturday night, when. retain
ing the possession Of his intellect, he ex-
pired without struggle
No wonder" remarked the alleged
libeler. "How could he struggle after
losing all the blood in his body, with
huge blisters aiding In the depletion OF
vital strength and his stomach crammed
with calOmel and tartar emetic so that
there was no room for food or fluids,
which he should have had to keep up
the system? Poor man, how he must
hfhNO anu ITO COuibh uhh6
them stop their torture, although he
seems to have tried to do SO. But the
medical men certify that after repeated
efforts to be understood, he succeeded in
expressing desire that he might be
permitted to die without interruption.
There, my brother doctors, are you con-
yinced? Wasn't that clear case of NAL
practice?
mo, SIR" humOrously responded a
brother doctor. That was in accord
ance with the treatment adopted by that
eminent physician DR.. Sangrsdo, who
had large practice in Spain over two
hundred years ago, which practice, as
impaired by the renowned Sangrado to
his apt student Gil Bias, consisted in CO.
pious bleeding and keeping the pstient's
body filed with hot water"
4 BUSTED HOTEL.